


One Thousand Graves

by wickersnap



Series: dbh rarepairs week [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Prompt Fic, Pure fluff really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 13:10:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20583050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickersnap/pseuds/wickersnap
Summary: It’s futile. A completely wasted effort. She knows it.Tina Chen, economics second year, lies on her bed and grovels in her own lack of self-worth.Instead of crying herself to sleep early on a Thursday, Tina thinks maybe she could be a bit more classy. She hauls herself up, out to the kitchen, and retrieves several bottles of beer. No, instead of crying herself to sleep, she’s going to drink herself to sleep. That’s something she knows she can do.





	One Thousand Graves

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 of dbh rarepairs week! University/Unrequited, so I chose a bit of both  
Short and sweet (hopefully), do enjoy!  
[tumblr](https://silverxsakura.tumblr.com/)

It’s futile. A completely wasted effort. She knows it.

Tina Chen, economics second year, lies on her bed and grovels in her own lack of self-worth.

It’s been, what, a year and a bit? A year and a bit she’d been friends with this girl, and she hadn’t had the brains nor the courage to fess up to her crush before they got in too deep. It’s like, when you get to this point of a friendship, uni or otherwise, you can’t just… Change everything. The balance is delicate.

And Tina Chen is an idiot. 

Here, on a Thursday evening she is, lying diagonally across her bed on the verge of tears. Tears of frustration and anger, and they’re aimed at herself. 

Why couldn’t she have just said something? Two weeks—no, three, would’ve been a great time. Just an, ‘Oh by the way, I think you’re cute. Are you into girls? Because I totally understand if you aren’t’. That’s all it needed. Things would’ve taken care of themselves, wouldn’t they? She could have moved in or moved on, and they’d be friends or they’d be… Well, they wouldn’t be  _ here _ .

Instead of crying herself to sleep early on a Thursday, Tina thinks maybe she could be a bit more classy. She hauls herself up, out to the kitchen, and retrieves several bottles of beer. No, instead of crying herself to sleep, she’s going to  _ drink  _ herself to sleep. That’s something she knows she can do.

There’s a party at a bar somewhere nearby—some popular jackass’s twenty-first. Rather than subject everyone there to her presence, Tina had hidden away to finish up some of her outstanding essays. Who was it that told her economics wouldn’t be as much work as business? She would like to formally shove her foot up their backside, whoever it was. It might have been her old head of year. Ah, all the better.

Anyway, by now, she can’t even remember finishing it. She hopes she did, because it’ll be the absolute worst in the morning if she hasn’t. Even checking the damn stuff is beyond her, now, drained as she is, so she slinks back onto her bed and cracks the cap off the bottle using her headboard. There’s a growing collection of the things down the inside of her bedside table, somewhere. Maybe she could donate them to the art department, or make a scrapbook out of them. She could make pin badges to sell online.

Whatever, that’s a dumb idea. Tina skipped a night of partying for this, she’d better use it to mope about Talia while she’s still out. 

Talia… She went. To the party, she means. She went to the party, and she’s probably being hit on by all the hottest guys right now. She usually is. Well,  _ anyone  _ hitting on her is too much stress for Tina’s poor, fragile heart to handle, so maybe she only usually gets a few. Maybe it’s better Tina didn’t go. But now she doesn’t know where Talia is, or if she’s safe, or if she’s okay or—

She’ll be fine. Gavin’ll probably take care of her. He’s pretty good like that, even if he  _ is  _ an absolute cock sometimes. He’s still Tina’s friend, and he knows that Talia is one of their Important People. And Tina will Murder Him if anything happens to her, which he is very well aware of. Gavin’s nice, under all those walls, she thinks. Talia thinks so too. She likes Tina’s friends and Tina likes her friends, and that’s another reason why she’s just… The best.

A year-and-a-bit ago, Tina moved into halls and met a petite, neat, brown-haired, brown-eyed Caucasian girl with freckles and a pretty, smiling mouth. In a form of both kindness and torture, the universe didn’t leave Tina hanging too long before she knew she’d be well and truly gone. By about the second or third month, she was daydreaming about a one-bed studio with pot plants and a kitten and a pretty freckled girl. Whoever thought up that Japanese phrase, love at second sight? Something similar, at least—they’re a certified genius, in Tina’s opinion. Her time at home is torn between painfully  _ wanting,  _ and the ecstatic joy of having; she gets Talia all to herself, most evenings, and it’s a strange little home, but the fantasy isn’t real.

And Tina is convinced that saying something now would ruin it.

But Talia is wonderful. She can’t help but want her. Regardless of how busy or stressed she is, she always has time to make sure that Tina’s looking after herself—something Tina is getting into the habit of doing for her in return, and for Gavin. But she and Talia have a little Friday routine, which might not be the movie-night classic, but it’s the them-time that matters. Without any pressing deadlines, they’ll do something together on a Friday afternoon or evening. Cooking, doing shitty art, making shitty cheap DIYs they find on Buzzfeed, watching Netflix or a DVD. And if there is a pressing deadline, they look out for each other. Snacks, water, breaks, stretching, and the works. It’s nice, and she couldn’t ask for better. Which is why she always feels like a bit of a let-down. Talia makes her want to be better. To get better, too. Because Talia’s kind, and generous and thoughtful. She’s mindful of everyone, but Tina’s watched her stand up to people nearly twice her size on multiple occasions, and on none of them have they needed the first aid kit. The damn thing practically has ‘In case of Tina and Gavin’ written on the front. 

So Talia’s wonderful. She’s Tina’s epitome of… Something. Something indescribable, because she’s two and a half bottles and a half-hour of silent tears down.

If she looks to her right, she could imagine Talia there next to her. She’d be smiling, grinning beatifically, making Tina’s cluttered and dusty room glow. The glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling would be charging, or whatever the fuck they do in the light. God, would she have gotten to study those if she did nat sci instead? Wait, no, Talia. Glowing. Giggling as she tells Tina about the kid in her primary school who used to make daisy chains with her and run around frisbeeing them at people’s heads.

Tina can imagine reaching out and looping their fingers together. She would hope that Talia clutches them closer, letting her thumb drift over Tina’s skin. Tina would bring their hands to her lips and place a kiss between the knuckles of Talia’s fingers, so impossibly soft and attractive. 

If she tries hard enough, Tina can almost imagine the taste of her lipstick, and the sunny warmth of her contented hum… 

Her entire body aches, and she’s cold.

Fuck. Her mouth tastes like shit, too. And the sun can get fucked. What time even is it?

Overcome by the heart-stopping possibility of oversleeping, Tina jolts awake and scrambles for her phone. Ah, damn, it’s five in the morning. 

Jesus Christ.

From the neglected curtains shines bright white sunlight, blinding her as she tries to squint at her phone screen. The drinks bottles are probably on the floor, somewhere, probably. Her clothes are creased, but at least she didn’t fall asleep in jeans… 

Someone is in her room.

The knowledge is very sudden and unpleasant. Slowly as she can, Tina sits up and turns around. Next to her, strewn across the sheets, Talia is fast asleep. 

Well, thank fuck, really.

Instead of getting up and trying to wake her, like a good friend might, she lies back down. Even sleeping, Talia’s face is incredibly warm and kind, and Tina gets to look at all of her freckles up close. The poor girl is still wearing last night’s clothes and makeup, and her hair is duller than usual and half everywhere.

After much too long of a time has passed, Tina gently shakes her shoulder. “Talia.” 

She groans, but doesn’t move. “Talia, come on. Wake up.”

“…Tina?” Talia murmurs. “Hello,” Tina chuckles quietly.

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Talia hums. “Hm… No.”

“But you need to,” Tina insists.

“Wanna stay here,” she says. “’S nice.”

Tina sits up and digs her arms beneath Talia’s shoulders. “Come on, up we go.” She heaves the girl upright, taking hold of all her weight. She groans in protest but starts moving, slowly waking up.

Tina helps her walk into the small bathroom in the hall, sitting her against the shower wall. She tips the toothbrush and paste out of Talia’s glass and runs the water until it’s cold. She fills the glass and pushes it into her hand.

“Water isn’t nice in the morning,” she complains.

“Tough,” Tina says, crouched next to her.

Talia sips delicately from the glass. “I’m sorry Tina. I love you.”

Tina blinks. “I love you too,” she replies. And doesn’t it just hurt her very core to say it. 

After Talia’s finished the water and wiped her face with the damp facecloth Tina presses into her hand, she’s looking much more alive.

“You don’t have any classes you need to be present for, do you?” Tina makes sure. “Just stuff you can get the recording for?”

Talia nods. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. You have something first period.”

“It’s, like, half five. I won’t be late.”

Talia pouts. “Why did you wake me up?” 

“You should sleep in your own bed, my dude.”

“I wanted to sleep with you,” she says.

“Yeah, okay, but you’d prefer your bed, I’m sure.”

Talia is silent for a few minutes. “Why were you crying last night?” She asks.

Tina starts. “Crying? When?”

“Last night. I could tell when I saw you.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she sighs. “Maybe I just felt like it.”

“You don’t usually cry when you’re drunk, though.”

“Don’t worry about it, Tal. I’m fine, I promise.”

“You’d better be,” she mutters. “Sorry, I’m gonna go back to bed.”

Tina helps her across to her own room, and deposits her on the side of her bed.

“Remember to get changed and eat something for breakfast later. I’ll be here if you need me.” 

“Thanks, Tina,” Talia says with a tired, hungover smile.

“What’s up with you then?” Gavin asks, throwing his bag down by Tina’s feet. 

She scowls and prods him in the side when he tries to sit on top of her. “Nothing, asshole.”

“You’re not usually in this early, though?”

“Yeah, well, Talia decided to crash in my bed last night,” she tells him. “I hope you were looking out for her.”

He looks at her, offended. “Course I did! Who do you think I am?”

“A guy with a propensity to pass out drunk whenever he gets the chance.”

“Oi, how rude. Slanderous. Think of my reputation.”

“You do enough damage to that yourself, dickwad,” Tina rolls her eyes. “You don’t need my help.”

“Whatever,” he huffs. “Anyway, you really should just tell her.”

“I ain’t tellin’ anyone  _ anything _ .”

“She looks at you like she’d  _ die _ for you,” he says, ever-dramatic. “What the hell’ve you convinced yourself will happen if you tell her?”

“Uh,” Tina replies sarcastically, “that she’ll turn around and tell me to get lost, permanently? She’d be well within her rights to do so.”

Gavin snorts. “Yeah, no. Not happenin’. Do it, bitch, or you’ll be stuck forever.”

“Might just throw myself out of my window,” she muses. “Was thinking it’d be easier.”

“I’m gonna text her and tell her to lock them and hide the keys. Then you’ve gotta do it.”

“Asshole.”

“Yeah, you told me that already.”

She sighs, dropping her head into her arms. “I’m sorry, Gavin. I’m just scared.”

“Aren’t we all,” he agrees from under his breath.

“You can talk to me, you know?”

“I know, bitch. I’d better be able to, after all the drunk whining I’ve had to sit through.”

Tina grins. “You’re the worst.”

“No you,” Gavin retorts, and smacks her with a packet of crisps. “Better eat up.”

“I love you man,” she says, ripping it open.

“Gross. Consume my generous gift quietly, peasant.”

“In your dreams.”

Tina takes about a page of notes during the lecture and then definitely doesn’t hide in the library when it finishes. Gavin goes with her so he can drag her out to get lunch after.

“You gotta tell her,” he repeats, for the fifth time since this morning, pinching her fries.

“Whatever. Maybe next year.”

“More like next century. Do it this afternoon. I have a lab, so I can’t bully you into doing it, but I am  _ not  _ above texting her to tell her you need to talk.”

“Jesus Christ, don’t do that, she’ll think I hate her.”

“…Oops,” he grimaces, looking mildly guilty. “Too late.”

“Fuck,” Tina says, emphatically, pushing away from the bench. “I’ll see you later. You’re such a whiny bitch.”

“Good luck!” Gavin shouts after her, already tucking into her leftover scraps.

“Thanks Gav!” She yells, sprinting in the direction of their flat. 

Tina’s only about three minutes from where they live, so she legs it across the road and down the street. She narrowly avoids a taxi and several obstinate pedestrians, only to collide with a lamppost a few feet from the door to her building.

“Fuck,” she hisses, loudly, ignoring the scandalised look a nearby woman throws at her. Once she’s made her way up the stairs and finally got the key into the lock, she stops to breathe. 

“Talia?” She calls between gasps. “Whatever Gavin’s said, don’t worry about it!”

“Gavin?” Asks Talia, popping her head out of her bedroom door. “What has Gavin said?”

Tina stops. “Didn’t he text you?”

“Did he?” She disappears into the room. “I haven’t seen it.” Tina steps under the door frame to see her scrutinising the phone on her bed.

“Well, don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

Talia frowns. “You ran back, didn’t you? Just to tell me that?”

“I thought you’d be worried,” she tries, weakly.

“Tina needs to talk to you…” Talia reads. She looks up at Tina. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing,” she waves it away. “He’s being annoying.” 

Talia watches her expectantly. It’s heavy, her gaze, and makes Tina supremely uncomfortable. It’s like she’s unearthing the months of lying and secrets by saying nothing at all. Tina squirms.

“…I’m sorry,” Talia says finally, deflating. “I’m sorry for this morning, if I overstepped. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Tina’s thoughts collide, as quickly as they stop. “What?”

“This morning,” Talia repeats. “I was clingy and weird.”

Tina gives her a look. “Why would I be uncomfortable?”

Shifting her weight between her feet, Talia looks a lot more awkward. She slips a strand of her hair back behind her ear, now tied up neatly like usual.

“When… When I said I loved you,” she shares like a secret, “I meant it. I like you, Tina.”

Tina smiles. “I know? I said I loved you too.”

“Not—not like that. I  _ like  _ you, Tina. I almost tried to kiss your neck before I woke up properly.”

“Oh,” she stammers, completely thrown. Talia stares her down, stock still despite the anxiety Tina knows must be crawling beneath her skin. 

She smiles, wide, and can’t stop her laughter from escaping. 

“Oh my god, Talia, I’m sorry—I shouldn’t laugh,” she suppresses her giggles and walks into her room, making to take her hands.

“Thank you for being brave for me,” she manages, more solemnly now. She smoothes her thumb over the backs of Talia’s small, soft fingers. “I’m so sorry I didn’t let you know sooner. I really do love you too.”

Talia looks up and searches her face, expression of vulnerable fear still evident. “Are you serious?” She asks softly. “You’re not fucking with me, or saying it to make me feel better?”

“No,” Tina assures. “I don’t know how you didn’t realise earlier, but my pining is apparently obvious enough for even strangers to notice. Gav told me, once.”

Talia giggles, shocked and giddy. “Oh my god, Ti, you don’t do anything by halves.”

“Nope!” She sings, lifting Talia’s hands and spinning her around and back into her arms. “Not when it’s for you.” 

Talia lets go and wraps her arms around Tina’s waist instead, pulling her forward. 

“Do we get to be a thing now? I want to be a thing.”

Tina grins. “Talia Stenzo, will you bestow upon me the highest honour of all? Will you agree to be my girlfriend?”

“Of course!” She replies, giggling. She rests her forehead against Tina’s. “I wouldn’t want anyone else.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading :')  
[tumblr](https://silverxsakura.tumblr.com/)


End file.
